Empoli veteran forward Massimo Maccarone has claimed he knows heavily monitored teammate Riccardo Saponara "can still give a lot more."
The 36-year-old has been on the Azzurri's books for five years across two spells with the most recent spell starting back in 2012. Since re-joining in 2012 having played for no less than seven other clubs since leaving in 2002 for Middlesbrough, Maccarone has scored half a century of goals for the club.
More complete than other youngster he played with
Maccarone spoke of how he feels Saponara is "more complete than Javier (Pastore)" whom he played alongside with at Palermo before the Argentinian's big money move to Paris Saint-Germain in 2011.
Maccarone also outlined his future plans when speaking with Gazetta dello sport admitting he hopes to keep on playing until he reaches 40 year old, "perhaps even beyond." His short term ambition in his words though is to keep being rigorous with himself, continued to be "like Filippo Inzaghi used to be" in order to "keep Empoli in the Serie A."
Empoli currently sit in ninth place, ten points clear of the relegation playoff spot going into the final matchday in 2015 before teams break off for a two week winter break. They can fall no lower than 11th place but can leap up to sixth and just outside the European spots given other results go their way.
Empoli duo subject to Viola interest
Fiorentina are reportedly going to make a double swoop for duo Lorenzo Tonelli and the aforementioned Saponara come January as per La Nazione reports.
The report says La Viola are willing to give Empoli €14 million for the on-form pair plus Jaime Baez on loan for the remainder of the season.
Tonelli is believed to be one of Paulo Sousa's number one targets and understandably so for the winter window as the Artemi Franchi outfit look to enhance their squad to keep their Scudetto dream alive.